Death toll from California wildfires rises to 11

The death toll from the raging wildfires in Southern California has gone up to 11 people, according to a Friday update from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME). 

Five fire-related deaths occurred because of the Palisades Fire while six were related to the Eaton Fire. Currently, there are six fires actively burning in the area, according to CalFire. 

The Palisades Fire, the largest out of the six, has burned over 21,000 acres with eight percent containment. Eaton Fire, the second largest one, has burned 14,000 acres with six percent of it being contained.

In total, the wildfires have burned over nearly 36,000 acres with a minimum of 10,000 structures being destroyed. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who earlier this week declared a state of emergency amid the fire outbreaks, called Friday for an independent probe of the Los Angeles Department Water and Power after questions arose about the region’s water supply.

The Santa Ynez Reservoir in the Pacific Palisades was empty and shut down with fires burning through the area, according to media reports. Typically, its capacity is 117 million gallons of water.

“While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the effort to protect some homes and evacuation corridors,” Newsom wrote in the letter. 

The governor is one of many state and local officials who have been scrutinized in the last few days over the readiness and ability to respond to fires.